Public health: A case study of supporting a patient with regard to smoking cessation.

This case study aims to follow a patient from practice with a current health problem and demonstrate how theoretical behaviour change and health belief models underpin health promotion and how these are implemented to support the patient in making lifestyle changes. The barriers to this will be threaded throughout. In adherence with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) (2008), the identities of the individuals in this case study have been changed.

The RCN (2007) believe that public health is a combination of physical mental and social well being. Brocklehurst (2004) describes how Public Health is associated with minimising health inequality, reducing health risks and the improvement of the populations health status.

Treating smokers costs the NHS in England alone 2.7 billion a year compared to 1.7 billion a decade ago (ASH, 2008). However only 150 million is spent on sm…(short extract)